Kanhika
Professional Experience
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Lead | Experience Design and Research, Springload
May 2019 – Present | Wellington, New Zealand
Driving the growth and internal practice development of Human Centred Design at Springload. Leading cross-disciplinary project teams working at the intersection of Technology and HCD.
Senior Experience Designer | Design Research, PwC New Zealand
May 2017 – Aug 2018 | Wellington, New Zealand
Working at the intersection of customer experience, business strategy, and digital technology — for various New Zealand government agencies. I have worked on digital transformation projects, projects to build stakeholder alignment, and design future customer states; all grounded in the human centred design process.
Principal | Design Strategy and User Research
Aug 2016 – Aug 2017 | San Francisco, United States
Using human centered design I provide strategic design consultancy to various large scale companies like Airbus, digital communication companies, and wearable tech startups in Silicon Valley. I also teach experimental research techniques to designers and facilitate design thinking workshops for executives around the world.
Lecturer, d.school at Stanford (Hasso Plattner Institute of Design)
Aug 2016 – Sep 2016 | San Francisco Bay Area
Facilitated design thinking lectures and workshops for top Korean entrepreneurs sponsored by the National IT Industry Promotion Agency and the Korea Innovation Centre operated by the Government of South Korea.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Stanford University
Jan 2015 – Jun 2016 | Stanford, United States
Conducted daylong bootcamps to weeklong workshops for executives from the US, France, Japan, South Korea, India, and Switzerland. Guided undergraduate students at Stanford for the 'ME 101: Visual Thinking' and the 'ME 115B: Product Design Methods' classes.
Associate Designer, IL&FS ETS
Aug 2012 – Jul 2014 | Mumbai Area, India
Developed the first of its kind tech based education platform for preschools across India, and led it to its launch. As part of the core team, my responsibilities included user research and analysis, product strategy, curriculum and content development, teacher training, and project management.
Product Design Intern, Studio ABD
Sep 2011 – Feb 2012 | Bengaluru, India
Designed sustainable food packaging that is currently being used by a retail food company.
Led initial user research that helped development of one of India's first ‘on the go’ payment device.
Product Design Intern, Flip Design
Jun 2010 – Aug 2010 | Bengaluru, India
Designed and manufactured an educational toy for young children to raise awareness about endangered species.
Product Design Intern, Design Directions
May 2008 – Jun 2008 | Pune, India
Conducted field research, analysis, and documentation of Indian street vendors.
Academic Experience
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Stanford University
M.F.A, Stanford Design Program (Joint Program in Art & Engineering), 2014 - 2016
MIT Institute of Design
Bachelor of Design (Product Design), 2007 - 2012
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Summer Institute of General Management, 2015
University of Pune
Bachelor of Art, 2010 - 2013
Other Leadership
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CFO, Asha for Education, 2014 - 2015
VP, Stanford Indian Association, 2015 - 2016
Co-founder, MIT Institute of Design’s Design Store - ‘I Did’ 2008 - 2012
Skills
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Strategic
User centered design thinking process, systems design, business strategy, user research & analysis (qualitative & quantitative)/ethnographic research, usability testing, persona development, customer insight research, project management.
Technical
Rapid prototyping (physical/digital/service/system design), General fabrication (wood/metal/plastic), Videography, Photography, Product design, Graphic design.
Softwares
Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premier Pro, Rhino, Google Sketchup, Microsoft Office.
Honors & Awards
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1st Place Award: Educational toy for deaf children
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation & Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, 2015
Best Case Study Presentation Award
Stanford Graduate School of Business, 2015
SIGM Scholarship
Full tuition scholarship to attend the Stanford Business School SIGM Program, 2015
Department of Art & Art History Fellowship
Full tuition fellowship to attend the Stanford Design Program for year 2014 & 2015
Press
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The Times of India, Hyderabad, 2016
The Times of India, Delhi, 2015
Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, 2015
Kyoorius Design Magazine, 2013
Group Exhibitions
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Radical Ethnographies, Coulter Art Gallery, Stanford University, 2015
Personal Statements, The Design Loft, Stanford University, 2015
Grad Design Art Show, Stanford Art Gallery, Stanford University, 2015
Meet the Makers, Product Realization Lab, 2014
Illuminating Objects, Cummings Art Gallery, Stanford University, 2014
Degree Show, MIT Institute of Design, Pune, 2012
I Did, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai, 2013
I Did, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai, 2012
I Did, Quasar 5, MIT Institute of Design, Pune, 2011
I Did, The Tilting Gallery, Ishanya, Pune, 2010
I Did, Quasar 4, MIT Institute of Design, Pune, 2010
I Did, Quasar 3, MIT Institute of Design, Pune, 2009
Social Mural Collective, Celebrate Bandra, Mumbai, 2005
Workshops & Lectures Conducted
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Design Leadership,
at MIT Institute of Design, March 2017.
Cultural Lenses of Design Research,
at the Social Innovation Week co-presented by AIGA San Francisco, Compostmodern & Gray Area Art + Technology, November 2016.
Painting Engaging Stories,
at the Stanford Arts Intensive Program, September 2016
K-Global Entrepreneurship Program,
at the d.school, Stanford University, August 2016
Kyoto Design Lab,
at Kyoto Institute of Design, March 2015
I Did Idea Workshop,
at MIT Institute of Design, 2010